Sony birding setup

TCR4x4

TCR4x4

Wishes he had a couple more Inches
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I’ve currently got a Fuji xt3, 100-400 and 1.4tc, but I’m having huge issues with BIF. The lens seems so slow to focus, even without the TC.
Often it just doesn’t focus even though I’m tracking the oof blob in the viewfinder. It’ll just go back and forth between out of focusness.
On static subjects it’s fine, just anything moving it’s useless.

I’ve tried all the different focus modes and custom settings with no improvement.

So, it might be GAS, but I’m looking at Sony, as full frame would be nice and their af seems to be much better.
However I’ve not really much of a clue on their naming conventions and models.

I figure if I sold all my Fuji gear, I’d have about £2800-3000. I’d want a long lens for the Sony, so either the Sony 200-600 or a sigma equivalent. Just the body I’m not sure on.
I found my ideal in the A1 until I saw the price!

So I’m guessing a A7 or 9 series, but I’ve no clue on the r versions, and the 1-5 models.

Anyone help me out of a Fuji xt3 equivalent or better in a price range I can actually afford once a long lens has been purchased.
 
the sony 200-600 is a cracking bif lens the internal zoom is a game changer they are about £1500. which leaves you with £1500 you may get a second hand a9 or a7r4. . or new a73. or a73r or crop sensor a6400 or a a6600. i use a a73 and a 6400 both are very good for bif . i aslo use a 1.4 tc on the a73. also you could use the sigma 150-600 with an adaptor, theres also a rumored sony fit sigma 150-600 .
have a look at alphashooters on youtube and also mark smith
 
A9 seems to be pretty good from my brief look on YouTube, especially With the new firmware.
Im still a touch confused on the a7 models with the r, and the c and the s. I think I’m right in saying the r is biased to resolution and the s towards better low light. How they relate to autofocus ability I haven’t yet discovered. The C is compact and the no letter is kinda middle ground of both. Very confusing to a Sony newb!

My priorities are autofocus and burst speed. So I’m trying to narrow down which of the A7 range fits that bill, as the A9 seems to fit it pretty well. In body stabilisation would be nice too.
 
The A9 is the sports etc camera with super fast AF and tracking. The A7 series are the standard version and the A7r as you say are high resolution. The A7s series have morphed into video. The A7c is reputed to have better AF than the A7III. There should be an A7IV arriving soon.
 
It would be hard to beat the A9II -A9 + 200/600 for your budget .
Rob.
 
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A9 certainly seems to fit the bill, but if I could get 80-90% of the A9 for less money in the a7iii, I would consider it, as I could then buy another lens to cover shorter focal lengths.

However I’m reading the big feature of the A9 is it doesn’t blackout the viewfinder in elec shutter mode at 20fps.
Well my xt3 doesn’t either. I shoot in e shutter at 30fps and can see the scene live the whole time. Does this mean the a7iii viewfinder goes black when tracking a subject in burst mode? Seems a bit odd if it does. How can you track something if you can’t see it?
Maybe I’m reading it wrong.
 
mav said:
the sony 200-600 is a cracking bif lens the internal zoom is a game changer they are about £1500. which leaves you with £1500 you may get a second hand a9 or a7r4. . or new a73. or a73r or crop sensor a6400 or a a6600. i use a a73 and a 6400 both are very good for bif . i aslo use a 1.4 tc on the a73. also you could use the sigma 150-600 with an adaptor, theres also a rumored sony fit sigma 150-600 .
have a look at alphashooters on youtube and also mark smith
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£1500 for a used A9 or R4 is very optimistic. Need and extra £500 or so I’d imagine.
 
I paid £1800 on here recently for a mint A9 and I consider that a reasonable price.

Sigma are on the verge of bringing out their Sony mount version of the 150-600mm Sport which if any good (I am waiting to see myself before deciding on this or the 200-600mm) at it's reported new price you could probably manage a used A9.

The only thing I will say against the A9 is the lack of pixels, 24MP is a little low if you need to crop (and you usually do as even 600mm is normally not enough shooting wildlife)
 
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Supposedly Canon is the one to go for if you are birding at the moment
 
Had the same problem as you, xt3 plus 100/400. I got a a6600 and am using with an adapted 150/600 sigma. Auto focus is so much better so with a 200/600 sony, you will certainly see a major difference.
 
Took over 500 buzzard in flight photos yesterday and only 10 or so were acceptably in focus. I’ve tried with all the afc settings and doesn’t seem to make much difference. When it gets it, it does well, just doesn’t seem to lock on very well most of the time. Static stuff is fine, even my dog running about is mostly ok, but birds in the sky it seems to really have issues with.

I love the camera apart from that and if I was still doing landscapes, it would be everything I need, but I find myself doing more wildlife and I’m missing so many shots I don’t think I should be with a setup of this price.

Just can’t decide on the A9 or the a7iii or a7riii Or maybe even the a7riv. A9 seems to be the best all rounder but it’s quite old now. The non blackout evf might be the deal maker though. I’m so used to it on the xt3, I don’t think I could do without now.

I could hire one for a weekend, but then that’s £3-400 less if I do decide I want t to buy one.
 
Value for money wise the Sony 200-600 should be a must. A bit slow aperture wise but with the modern NR reduction programs not as much of an issue as it used to be ,

Body wise an A9 would be best if you cannot one within budget. I think in reality you're looking at £2000 for a used a9 but the AF is all but identical to the a9ii which is frankly incredible.

The A7iv is good for AF and much better than your current setup but it doesn't work as well for BIF as the A9 does. In short, good but not the best for flight. You'll also be paying similar to the A9.

The A7c may be a good compromise, and if you definitely don't want to stretch the budget to the £3500 I reckon you need for an A9 / 200-600 then its worth consideration. AF along the lines of the A74 so very good, if not the best, and again a big improvement over your current gear. Its only a small body with more limited controls so do your research.

As a guide A9 is brilliant and better than any DSLR out there, and I would expect the A74 and A7c to at least match a D5 / 1dx3 once you're all dialled in and have a bit of practice

Mike
 
I think the a9 is the one I’ll go for. Been offered one at a good price, just need to find some money. Don’t want to sell all my Fuji gear just yet, in case I don’t get on with the Sony.

My next dilemma is my wife shares most of my Fuji gear, cos I bought her an xt1 for Xmas. She has her own 50-230 lens but often uses my 100-400 and 18-55, plus all the batteries, which I would sell if I were to fully switch, so now I need to find her a replacement Sony camera so she can use the 200-600 or buy her own long lens.

Sony prices are way higher than Fuji it seems, her xt1 was £200. Can I buggery find a decent like for like Sony for the same sort of money. :banghead:
I thought the a6100 was about £2-300. I almost bought one before I bought back into Fuji a year or so back And I swear they weren’t £600+ then.
 
TCR4x4 said:
I think the a9 is the one I’ll go for. Been offered one at a good price, just need to find some money. Don’t want to sell all my Fuji gear just yet, in case I don’t get on with the Sony.

My next dilemma is my wife shares most of my Fuji gear, cos I bought her an xt1 for Xmas. She has her own 50-230 lens but often uses my 100-400 and 18-55, plus all the batteries, which I would sell if I were to fully switch, so now I need to find her a replacement Sony camera so she can use the 200-600 or buy her own long lens.

Sony prices are way higher than Fuji it seems, her xt1 was £200. Can I buggery find a decent like for like Sony for the same sort of money. :banghead:
I thought the a6100 was about £2-300. I almost bought one before I bought back into Fuji a year or so back And I swear they weren’t £600+ then.
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I've just bought an A9II from ebay for £3199, I was dubious as to whether it was a grey import but it's not, the serial has been accepted by Sony and the 2 year warranty has been activated
The box has a card inside with the extra year warranty offer

I won't find out for 30 days whether it qualifies for the £300 cashback , it's a bonus if it does as I was going to order one from one of the white box importers for the same money
 
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